NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Russian forces are not capable of making "major breakthroughs" on the battlefield in Ukraine and that Kiev is inflicting heavy losses with its deep strikes.
"They tried to launch an offensive again this spring and summer - but so far only marginal successes," Stoltenberg said in an interview with AFP.
"And we have no other indication or reason to believe that Russia has the capability, the power to make major breakthroughs," he added.
The head of the Western military alliance stressed that Russia would nonetheless likely "continue to press along the front line" and carry out air strikes.
"But what we have seen is that the Ukrainians have managed to hold the front. They were able to continue to inflict heavy losses on the Russian invaders, both along the front line and through deep strikes," he said.
Russia has stepped up its military offensive in Ukraine in recent months.
NATO countries, led by the United States, have been able to increase arms supplies to Kiev again after Washington accepted a suspended $60 billion aid package in April. | BGNES
